Starting as Cipher-The Flame-Chaser Identity System(Honkai Star Rail)

If "cuteness energy" existed in this world, Cipher was certain she would have been completely overwhelmed by it at that moment. Since Aria had asked so earnestly, she surprisingly didn't refuse.

"Alright, if it's just a little tail-touching," Cipher said, controlling her tail to curl forward in front of her chest. Aria seemed genuinely surprised that Cipher had agreed, exclaiming, "Really?!" before eagerly grabbing Cipher's tail and hugging it against her cheek. She closed her eyes and nuzzled it, murmuring, "Mmm~ So fluffy, soft, and sweet-smelling... so comfy~"

At first, Cipher was puzzled. She sometimes idly stroked her own tail when bored, but after a while, it just felt... normal. It was undeniably fluffy, but what was this nonsense about it being soft and sweet-smelling? She had no idea her tail had a scent!

Time passed slowly. Aria continued to fondle Cipher's tail with undiminished delight, while Cipher's initial confusion gradually morphed into a dead-eyed expression of utter resignation.

For Cipher, her tail was like an extra hand. When Aria touched it, it felt like a handshake—nothing particularly special. But who shakes hands for five or six minutes? How utterly tedious!

In that moment, Cipher finally understood why house cats disliked being constantly petted by their owners.

Imagine being sound asleep at home when someone suddenly grabs your hand, fiddles with it, occasionally pats your head, and rubs your belly. Wouldn't that be annoying?

Finally, after taking one last deep breath against Cipher's tail, Aria released it. Her face lit up with renewed energy. "Sister Cipher energy fully replenished!"

Cipher, on the other hand, looked utterly drained, her expression a mix of speechless exasperation and resignation—a perfect example of the law of conservation of energy.

Aria's eyes lit up with anticipation. "Sister Cipher, can I touch your tail again sometime?"

Cipher flatly refused. "No!"

While touching her tail wasn't inherently unpleasant, it was about the principle. Give her an inch, and she'd take a mile. First it's the tail, then the ears? What next? Cipher didn't even want to think about it. This was precisely why she had always rejected Aria's requests in the past.

Cipher had no desire to be petted and fussed over like a cat whenever she had some free time.

"Alright, enough of that," she said. "Let's get down to business. We need to deliver the body to Cassie."

Aria, whose single-track mind was easily diverted, perked up. "Oh, right! Let's hurry and get going!"

Since it was just a delivery, Feidric and Douglas didn't accompany them. Cipher and Aria set out alone, first retrieving the body from Cipher's hiding place outside the city, then immediately departing for Cassie's village.

During their previous escort quest, the carriage journey from Cassie's village to Stone Pine City had taken two days due to the carriage's limited speed. This time, however, Cipher and Aria ran the entire way, arriving by nightfall.

Two adventurers hauling a large burlap sack into the village late at night naturally drew attention. The village chief stopped them, intending to ask their purpose, but recognized them immediately.

After all, Cipher and Aria were both strikingly beautiful, and they had recently stayed overnight in the village. The chief still remembered them vividly.

Aria, ever the honest one, cut straight to the chase. "We've avenged Cassie's Parents. This is the body of her enemy."

The village chief was utterly dumbfounded. "What in the world...?"

To be fair, even Cassie was stunned when the two women knocked on her door and presented her with the corpse. Cipher had already discussed with Aria that they shouldn't reveal the corpse's identity. Cassie was just an ordinary commoner, and having a noble's body delivered to her doorstep would be utterly terrifying.

In any case, the moment Cassie saw her enemy's corpse, she burst into tears. Watching her, Aria whispered, "Do you think this will stop her from wanting to take her own life? Will she find the courage to live on?"

Cipher shook her head. "Perhaps. But we've done all we can. The rest is up to her."

The two women stayed at Cassie's house for another night. By then, news of Viscount Braun's death had spread throughout the city. Rumor had it that a Legendary Adventurer had suddenly appeared during the battle, effortlessly annihilating two elite warriors. Viscount Braun, witnessing this spectacle, had reportedly soiled himself in terror.

Perhaps disgusted by Viscount Braun's repulsive nature, the Legendary Adventurer didn't even deign to dirty his own hands. Instead, he ordered his lackey to step forward and end the Viscount's life—a life defined by extortionate taxation.

At the Adventurer's Guild, an adventurer was guzzling ale and loudly recounting a secondhand tale he'd heard from some unknown source. Feidric and Douglas, dining in the hall, couldn't help but overhear.

Douglas paused, startled. "A Legendary Adventurer? Killed Viscount Braun?"

According to the adventurer's story, only two figures had engaged Braun: the Legendary Adventurer and his lackey. Douglas recalled Cipher's earlier words: "I only recovered the body after the battle."

Logically, Cipher must have been the lackey, right?

Feidric, however, saw things differently. Cipher had claimed that Black Knight Natalie was the one who killed Braun. Combining this with the adventurer's account, it became clear: the Black Knight herself was the lackey.

Feidric remembered Aria's previous encounter with the Black Knight. He had witnessed her skills firsthand and knew that while formidable, she was certainly not on the level of a Legendary Adventurer. Could this Legendary Adventurer... be Cipher?

Feidric quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought. Whether Cipher was a Legendary Adventurer or not, she was their teammate, and that was all that mattered.

Time passed slowly. The following afternoon, Cipher and Aria returned to Stone Pine City and successfully reunited with Feidric and Douglas. Before officially departing for the capital of the Grand Duchy of Kandela, Cipher decided to purchase some additional supplies.

These included a change of clothes—she was tired of wearing the same outfit every day—and scissors. Cipher noticed her fingernails and toenails had grown a bit long and needed trimming. In this world, nail clippers didn't exist; people either used small scissors or casually sharpened their nails with knives or swords, rarely paying close attention to detail.

She also planned to buy some long-lasting snacks and a new tent.

Of course, Cipher would also need a larger backpack to carry everything.

But when she mentioned wanting to buy a new tent, Aria immediately adopted a pitiful expression. "Eh, Sister Cipher, are you trying to get rid of me?"

For some reason, seeing Aria like this inexplicably reminded Cipher of a puppy wagging its tail, begging for a cuddle.

Having a soft, sweet-smelling girl sleeping beside her was quite nice, and it would be even more comfortable if she could use her as a body pillow. The problem was... Cipher was the one being cuddled!

She shook her head. "I'm not trying to get rid of you. The tent is just too small."

Aria immediately brightened. "Then if we get a bigger tent, can I still sleep with Sister Cipher?"

Cipher paused, looking at the adorable "golden retriever puppy" before her. "If... if it's really big enough."

Soon, the two arrived at Stone Pine City's market. Though the City Lord was dead, life continued as usual for the commoners. The only noticeable change was the widespread prayers hoping the next ruler would lower taxes.

First, they went to buy clothes. Cipher randomly chose a clothing store and was surprised to find the garments far more luxurious than she had expected, adorned with intricate patterns and vibrant designs. She had imagined piles of plain, undecorated linen clothes.

But then she reconsidered. This made more sense. The commoners of this world had no spare money to spend on such luxuries; they would buy fabric and sew their own clothes at home. This store clearly catered to adventurers and nobles.

As Cipher and Aria entered the shop, a shopkeeper with light makeup and a noblewoman's bearing greeted them with a warm smile. "Are you two adventurers?" she asked. "What can I help you find? Whether it's loose, breathable undergarments, comfortable and stylish apparel, or even cloaks to conceal your identities, we have everything you need!"

When she saw Cipher, the shopkeeper's eyes lit up. "A Catfolk! My dear girl, you're absolutely stunning!"

As the shopkeeper spoke, he gave Cipher a thorough once-over, his gaze lingering on her in a way that made her visibly shiver.

"With a figure like yours, you're a natural mannequin," the shopkeeper continued. "Anything you wear would look stunning. Would you like me to make some recommendations?"

"No, thank you. I'd prefer to browse on my own for now," Cipher replied, feeling increasingly uncomfortable under the shopkeeper's intense enthusiasm. She quickly pushed Aria forward, eager to escape the counter and venture deeper into the store.

But the moment they passed the first clothing rack, Cipher's eyes widened in surprise. Hanging prominently on display was a pair of black stockings.

Stockings in the Middle Ages? she wondered.

Suddenly, a rumor she'd heard in her past life surfaced in her memory: stockings and high heels had both originated in medieval France, worn exclusively by male nobles. Stockings served to conceal leg hair, while high heels prevented wearers from stepping in street filth.

If the rumors were true, then the existence of stockings in this world wouldn't be so surprising after all.

Noticing Cipher's gaze, Aria couldn't help but ask, "Sister Cipher, are you interested in stockings?"

Cipher replied, "I'm just curious—are these for men or women?"

Aria looked puzzled. "They're definitely for women! How could any man wear these?"

At that moment, the shopkeeper approached and began his sales pitch. "These are the latest styles from the All Nations Alliance! The texture is absolutely divine. Wouldn't you like to try a pair? They're perfect for everyday wear, and they can be incredibly effective in certain... special situations..."

Before he could finish, Cipher shook her head vigorously, rejecting the offer outright. Never mind what those "special situations" might entail. Even though she had been transformed into a girl and living as one for nearly a month, Cipher still couldn't quite accept the idea of wearing stockings.

Cipher would happily buy Aria a pair of stockings and let her wear them so she could feel her legs, but wearing them herself was out of the question.

Cipher tugged Aria away from the shopkeeper again, scanning the racks overflowing with clothes of various styles and colors. To put it bluntly, she felt no desire for any of them.

The clothes all struck Cipher as hopelessly old-fashioned. Perhaps others would find them trendy and beautiful, but for someone who had lived through the information explosion of her previous life, she had seen far too many truly stunning outfits to be impressed by these.

After browsing for ages, the only thing that caught Cipher's eye was a black-and-white maid outfit tucked away in a corner.

A catgirl maid calling her master while meowing—how incredibly appealing would that be? she mused. But it was just a fantasy. There was no way she'd actually buy it.

Having circled the store, Cipher found the shopkeeper and asked, "Didn't you mention earlier you had a black cloak that completely covers a person? Where is it?"

Shopkeeper: huh?

Two incredibly cute girls had been browsing the shop for ages, not buying a single attractive outfit, yet they wanted that hideous black cloak?

Despite his bewilderment, the shopkeeper, bound by professional courtesy, fetched Cipher a voluminous cloak. The moment she laid eyes on it, she declared without hesitation, "This is the one!"

Aria: "?"

Shopkeeper: "?"

Cipher explained, "Aria, don't you think this cloak is super cool? Once you put it on, you can completely conceal yourself, hide all your secrets, and silently observe your enemies from the shadows with just your eyes..."

"Stop, stop, stop!" Aria interrupted immediately. "Let me pick the clothes, Sister Cipher. You just wait here!"

In the end, besides the cloak, Aria also bought Cipher two adorable casual outfits and some undergarments.